


Now You See Me

by VillaKulla



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 19:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7187948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VillaKulla/pseuds/VillaKulla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Remind me again why we’re here?”</p><p>“Remind me again why you’re wearing a suit to a parade? I told you it was going to be hot.”</p><p>(Harry and Eggsy attend Pride together and have a discussion. Written in tribute to Pride events everywhere. Please read the author's notes before reading)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now You See Me

**Author's Note:**

> Like everyone else I'm in shock about what happened in Orlando, and full of grief at the way in which a safe space at a celebratory event was violated. I spent most of the morning crying, and then ended up writing this in two hours as a cathartic necessity. I'm not trying to take anyone's grief and capitalize on it for fic-writing purposes, so my deepest apologies if anyone thinks so. The subject matter discussed in the story is deeply personal to me, and since these characters are the ones most on my mind lately, I chose to express my feelings through them in the form of a fic.

 

 

“Remind me again why we’re here?”

 

“Remind me again why you’re wearing a suit to a parade? I told you it was going to be hot.”

 

Except Harry, damn him, still managed to look completely put together, despite being pressed from all sides by people in colourful outfits as he and Eggsy pushed their way through the pulsing, rainbow crowd, under the hot June sun. Eggsy was practically _roasting_ in just his plain white tee and skinny jeans, letting go of Harry’s hand every so often to fan himself profusely. Harry only needed to occasionally dab his forehead with a pocket square that wasn’t even limp yet.

 

“I feel fine,” Harry said demurely, tucking his handkerchief back into his breast pocket.

 

“Yeah yeah, rub it in why don’t you,” grumbled Eggsy, handing a couple pound notes to a well-oiled man in a rainbow headdress who was passing by with a trolley of bottled water. Eggsy snagged two and passed one to Harry, practically moaning in relief as he held the icy bottle dripping in condensation up to his forehead. He opened it up, squeezing the thin plastic of the flimsy bottle too hard, some of it spilling out over his hands. He took a swig, wiped his hand on his jeans and grabbed Harry’s hand again. “Come on, let’s get to the front.”

 

“I can see fine from back here,” Harry protested.

 

Eggsy snorted. “Yeah well not all of us are such tall drinks of water are we? I wanna see the floats. And sometimes they throw candy.” He tugged Harry’s hand insistently. “And _behave_. It’s your first Pride, you might learn something.”

 

They navigated a path through the throngs of dancing people, finally making it to the front where they were pressed against a barricade with a clear view of the street and all the floats going by. Eggsy laughed at the spectacle.

 

“Check it out, the dykes on bikes,” he said pointing. He gave them a wave and one woman in a denim vest with arm muscles Eggsy envied pointed back and lowered her sunglasses, giving him a wink.

 

“I’ll give them points for the rhyme scheme,” Harry said drily as a Village People tribute group strutted past.

 

“Oh would you get the stick out of your arse already,” Eggsy rolled his eyes. “Just enjoy the show.” He held up his phone to take a picture of a float carrying transgender models in stunning gowns and tuxedoes.

 

“Show is right,” Harry responded raising an eyebrow at the next float, which carried a horde of fit young men in various states of undress, gyrating enthusiastically to the electro-pop pulsing from the float’s speakers.

 

“See what I don’t get,” Harry continued more loudly over the speakers. “Is the whole need to flaunt the ‘sex’ aspect,” he said, gesturing to the men who were pantomiming things Harry only associated with bedrooms. “I’ve never understood that. I mean I’ve know plenty of gay men who don’t feel as though their sex lives are interesting enough to…demonstrate. I certainly never have, I mean we’re just two blokes who happen to like shagging each other’s brains out, and while that’s certainly interesting to _me_ , it hardly defines us, wouldn’t you say?”

 

Eggsy’s eyes were on the next float of dancers, but his mouth had tightened somewhat. “It’s not me that defines us by our sexuality, mate. Society did that. If you’re right and the only thing that separates us from other people is who we shag, well then why _shouldn’t_ Pride events include the sex component?”

 

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the group that Eggsy and Harry were standing in were suddenly showered with a group of condoms in rainbow foil packets blasted onto them by the cannon of a passing float. People leapt up cheering. Harry brushed a turquoise condom packet off of Eggsy’s hair.

 

“The candy you were hoping to catch, I presume?”

 

Eggsy gave him a look, before suddenly seeming to deflate. “You know what, I’m getting hot here, I’m gonna go look for some shade.” He brushed passed Harry without another word, immediately getting swallowed up by the sequined, glittering crowd.

 

“Eggsy,” Harry sighed. He made as though to follow him, but a flock of younger girls in rainbow croptops and neon sunglasses spilled past him like an upended bag of skittles, effectively whirling him around until he was facing the parade again, and the next group to walk in it.

 

Harry adjusted his glasses and looked at the banner being carried in the front. It read “Gay Veterans: Still Dishonorably Discharged, Still Proud.” He looked at the former servicemen and women marching behind the banner in perfect military precision, their faces set in serious contrast to the floats before and after them, but their chins were held up and the firm gaze of their eyes defied anyone to question their right to be there.

 

Harry felt something twig in his chest. He’d gotten his start in military, like most people who went into special forces. He’d never given a whit about his own sexuality. He’d always felt utterly secure in it, and by virtue of his own naturally restrained personality (and the highest scores in hand-to-hand combat in the squad) he’d never been called out on it, even by those in the army who might have taken issue with it.

 

But supposing he’d wanted to talk about it more? He might have been marching as an exiled military member himself, kicked out for something so utterly banal as what he did in the privacy of his own bedroom.

 

He took a deep breath and headed back to the sidewalk, muttering polite “excuse me”s to the enthusiastic, dancing groups, and went to go find Eggsy.

 

He didn’t have to walk down the sidewalk for very long. Dodging a few couples holding hands he saw Eggsy catch a young girl who’d been about to trip onto the sidewalk.

 

“Ooops, there you are, princess,” he said, depositing her in front of her parents, a lesbian couple pushing a stroller decked out in mini rainbow flags.

 

The little girl took one of the shining mardi gras necklaces off, and put it around Eggsy’s neck. “Now you’re a princess too,” she laughed. Eggsy gave a delighted smile and waved goodbye to the family as they continued down the path. He caught sight of Harry who’d been watching the scene.

 

“What, get sick of the people – what was it – ‘flaunting’ it, did you? I’m surprised you held out even one more minute,” Eggsy said snidely.

 

“Now that’s not fair,” Harry snapped, and Eggsy looked up startled. Harry so rarely raised his voice, even on a mission, and his genuinely angry tone came as a surprise.

 

Harry softened at Eggsy’s taken-aback look, and continued more gently. “You _know_ I’m not prejudiced in the slightest, Eggsy. Dancing about might not be my way of expressing myself, but do you really think I think any less of people who do?”

 

“I know you don’t,” Eggsy said quietly. “Sorry luv, I was a jerk just then.”

 

Harry’s heart twisted. “And I’ve been a jerk all day,” he said. “I’m the one who should be apologizing, sweetheart.” He held out his arms and Eggsy went into them wordlessly, and they shared a long hug on the sidewalk, barely noticing they were being jostled by people scampering to follow the parade.

 

“Hungry?” Eggsy asked, when they finally separated.

 

“Famished,” Harry answered.

 

 

***

 

 

Sometime later they were walking through a nearby park, holding greasy, fragrant bags of fish and chips. It was far enough from the main stretch of road that they could get some shade and quiet, but not so far that they couldn’t hear the nearby cheers and laughter of the crowd, or the pounding of parade speakers couldn’t faintly make it down between the tops of the trees.

 

“But still,” Eggsy said, continuing their discussion. “I mean I _know_ you, I know you’re barely even one for PDAs. I coulda guessed this wasn’t really your scene.”

 

Harry chewed thoughtfully around a mouthful of chips before swallowing. “Well in a way you’re right,” he said. “I don’t see myself dancing around in a leather codpiece anytime soon.” Eggsy snorted and Harry continued: “But there’s something to be said for the little guy standing up so defiantly.”

 

Eggsy stared at him. “We still talking about codpieces or…”

 

Harry elbowed him. “Smart ass. You know what I mean. But I’m sorry for being an uptight prick. I guess I’ve never really cared about my sexuality one way or another because I’ve never had any difficulty from it, so I forget that for other people it can be _very_ important. I’ve never denied it, but the idea of advertising it has just never felt like a need.”

 

“Yeah well you don’t advertise much of anything, bruv,” Eggsy said gently. “But it’s not about advertising the sex part, it’s really not,” he said insistently. “I mean some people are into that yeah, but in the end it doesn’t matter how we’ve experienced our sexuality. We can all come to the same place and _celebrate_ that we’re all different. Some of us are drag queens who like six-inch, rhinestone heels, and some of us are dead handsome blokes in spectacles who wear bespoke suits in the middle of a parade in June,” he said grinning at Harry. He turned serious again. “It ain’t advertising. In the end it’s just celebrating.”

 

Harry leaned over rub some of the grease off the corner of Eggsy’s lips. “When did you get so wise?”

 

Eggsy winked. “Born this way.”

 

They continued walking in companionable silence, finishing their fish and chips, and went to one of the park’s bins to toss them out. A couple benches over were two elderly men giving them a friendly wave. They walked over.

 

“Been coming to Pride long?” one inquired affably.

 

“Three years,” Eggsy said. “First for him.” He jerked a thumb at Harry.

 

“Twenty-five years this summer,” one said proudly, before Harry could ask. “First time was when I met this geezer. Haven’t been able to get rid of him since.”

 

Eggsy laughed and Harry cracked a smile. “My sympathies.”

 

“How’re you liking it so far, son?” the older one asked Harry. “It’s come a long way since my day. Wonderful to see more and more young people like yourselves.”

 

Harry took a moment to be amused at being called ‘son’ despite having made it past his fifties, before answering.

 

“Educational,” he said. “And I’m very honoured to have met you both.” He reached out to take Eggsy’s hand, giving him a smile.

 

The elderly couple gave Harry and Eggsy a nod. “Enjoy the rest of the day, now!”

 

“We will,” Eggsy called as they walked away. “That were sweet,” he said, once they were a little ways away.

 

“Indeed,” Harry said, meaning it.

 

“So what do you really think?” Eggsy asked. “You actually enjoying yourself or were you just saying that?”

 

“I was not,” Harry protested. He stopped and tugged Eggsy’s hand so that he was wheeled around to face Harry, so that he could see Harry was serious. “I would come back.”

 

“Really?” Eggsy said skeptically.

 

Harry smiled. “Really. And I’ll enjoy it even more when we’re coming back for the twenty-fifth time as well.” He lifted Eggsy’s hand where he was holding it, pressing a kiss to the knuckles.

 

Eggsy’s lip trembled. “You can’t just _say_ shit like that, Harry!” He fairly threw himself at Harry’s chest, wrapping his arms around him. “Every time I wanna be pissed at you, you go and turn it around and make me fucking swoon instead. How the fuck do you do that?”

 

“Born this way,” Harry echoed, amused. But he held onto Eggsy, breathing him in, thanking his lucky stars.

 

Eggsy looked up at him. “Wanna go to the fair? There’s a midway. We could scam the fuck out of the shooting galleries,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 

“Oh _fuck_ yes.”

 

 

***

 

Dusk had fallen by the time Harry and Eggsy had made it back from the fair portion of the pride event. They were walking with their arms around each other, each working at an ice cream cone. They’d previously been weighed down by stuffed animals they’d won from beating all the high scores at the sharp-shooting ranges, but they’d handed the plush prizes off to any little kids they’d come across. Now they were back on the main strip which was transitioning from day to night festivities, loud music thumping its way out of the nearby clubs, the street lit up in neon and glittering signs.

 

“I mean it,” Harry said. “Thank you for a lovely day. Different…but lovely.”

 

“Told ya you might learn something,” Eggsy said leaning comfortably into Harry. He looked at the array of nightclubs they walked past, feet walking a little more bouncily, but he turned back to look at Harry. “You ready to go home? Hack into American Netflix and watch a movie?”

 

“I’d love to,” Harry said. “But I’m getting the sense you’d prefer to not go home yet,” he teased, nodding at row of clubs he knew Eggsy favoured.

 

Eggsy beamed at him. “Really? You don’t mind?”

 

“I’m with you, or course I don’t mind,” Harry said. And Eggsy grinned with more wattage than all the bright signs on the street, and was tugging Harry into the nearest club. They were immediately engulfed by a blast of pop music, smoke machines, and gyrating dancers in all degrees of mesh, leather, and sparkles.

 

“Stay here,” Eggsy hollered in Harry’s ear. “I’ll get us drinks.” He was off, weaving between the crowd.

 

Harry leaned back against the wall, taking in the scene, smiling at the display in front of him. The costumes, the lack of costumes, the dancers blowing whistles to get the crowd going, the MCs spraying water out over the throngs of dancers, the tables of friends all toasting each other with wide grins, the entire scene so loud, so present, so defiantly celebratory, and above all, so _hopeful_. Harry was shocked to feel his throat start to close up.

 

“Oi, don’t look so down, handsome!” A passing Amazon of a dancer in tall spike heels, enormous hair, and a tiny sailor outfit that barely covered their bulging muscles came over beside him “It’s Pride!”

 

The dancer broke off briefly to adjust their wig. “This fucking thing I swear,” they said. “But hey, if it keeps the sailors happy, am I right?” they added, winking at Harry.

 

“You look gorgeous,” Harry assured them.

 

“Well aren’t you a _doll_ ,” they cooed, leaning in to plant a kiss on Harry’s cheek, drawing back with a peal of laughter. “You enjoy the night now, honey,” they said, and was then strutting off just as Eggsy was returning with two martini glasses full of some vivid green liquid.

 

“You getting busy while I’m gone?” he asked, grinning at the bright red lipstick stain standing out against Harry’s cheek in a perfect bow.

 

“A good Samaritan,” Harry said, accepting one of the mercurial looking glasses. “Is that…a penis straw?”

 

“Drink up,” Eggsy laughed, clicking his glass to Harry’s.

 

Harry bent his head and sucked the straw genteely while maintaining eye-contact with Eggsy until he could no longer hold back his mirth, and burst out laughing, green alcohol spraying out of his nose.

 

“Harry that is _rank_ ,” Eggsy squealed, but he was laughing his head off, and they stood braced against the wall, fairly shaking from laughter. When they’d calmed down Eggsy reached out to pluck the straws from their glasses, knocking back his drink all in one go. Harry followed suit and they stood together, the liquor warming their veins, eyes intense and burning together. And then Harry was swooping down to kiss Eggsy there in the club, while strobe lights flashed around them.

 

When Harry drew back, Eggsy’s eyes were shining at him. “Thought gentlemen didn’t engage in ‘public displays of affection’,” he said, quoting one of Harry’s earlier lessons at him.

 

Harry cupped Eggsy’s cheek with his hand. “Well then it’s a good thing I feel a hell of a lot more than ‘affection’ for you, isn’t it?” he murmured.

 

Eggsy reached up to place his hand softly over Harry’s, his grin lighting up their whole corner of the club. “As long as you’re busy shocking me, you don’t happen to feel like dancing as well, do you?” he asked, jerking his head over to the center of the dance floor where people were packed tightly, all pulsing from the same beat.

 

“Eggsy I’d be proud to,” Harry said smiling. And they made their way down to the middle of the dance floor, between the hundreds of people of people celebrating the day, celebrating themselves, celebrating _life_ , and Harry let Eggsy lead.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
